The invention relates to an apparatus for attaching an adhesive tape to a folding carton or the like in order to close said carton, the adhesive tape being under longitudinal tension, pressed onto said carton along a closing side thereof by means of a pressure means (pressure roller) as a result of relative movement.
Adhesive tapes for closing folded cartons or other packs are usually made of synthetic material and are coated with an adhesive on one side. With (large-volume) folding cartons, adhesive tapes are affixed in the region of a closing side or two oppositely situated closing sides, such that outer folding flaps are connected to one another by means of the adhesive tape. Normally, end legs of the adhesive tape extend into the region of transverse carton side faces adjoining the closing sides, where they are adhesively bonded.
The adhesive tapes are affixed to the folding carton by means of automatically operating taping units. The adhesive tape is pulled off a reel, guided over deflecting rollers and finally pressed onto the folding carton by means of a pressure means (pressure roller). Normally, the taping unit is mounted stationary, whereas the folding cartons are conveyed past the taping unit to receive the adhesive tape. Such a taping unit is for instance disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,269.
In practice, the carrier tapes of such adhesive tapes used to be made of PVC. Lately, adhesive tapes made of other synthetic materials such as polypropylene tend to be used more and more. This material however is difficult to work with. In particular, the longitudinal tension in the tape causes it to crease and curl up when it is attached to the folding carton. Undesired deformations in the free end portion of the adhesive tape, especially in its end leg, occur especially after the tape section assigned to the folding carton is cut off.